Europe 2018 England, Normandy, Picardy

Europe 2018

25 April - 03 May

The adventure continues…. year six !….

A good flight with a short stopover and sleep in the Transit Hotel in Singapore, then onto London.  Taxi from the Airport to Church Farm (77 Pounds) near Bosham where ‘Lefty’ (our Camper) is stored.  Wonderful to see our ‘little home’ all ready to go after a full service and MOT.  ‘He’ now has a new set of back tyres and a new awning (the warrant of fitness man clipped the old one while moving Lefty).

Off to Hayling Island and our friend Nat’s place on the beach.  She owns the end part of “The Royal”, a quaint Victorian Hotel favoured by the Royals.

We had a fantastic week staying at Nat’s, eating at our favourite Thai Restaurant down the road in West Town, catching up with our friend Mary with whom we enjoyed walks along the beach and around the Island. Mary is in training for a 10 mile walk in memory of her husband Paul. 

Breakfast at our favourite cafe up the road, “ MadHatters”, we learnt the lovely owners are leaving and new owners take over next week.  

We’ve been wrapped up in our thermals and woollies as it’s mostly cold and windy days with the odd fine day thrown in. 

On Saturday 5 May, we’ll catch the ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe having waited a few extra days for the sun to come out and the Bank Holiday ferry price to reduce.

04 May

A beautiful day for a trip to Newhaven and our camp in Seaford!  After a last hug and farewell to Mary we headed south east on the A27 towards Brighton.  Passed Arundel Castle ('William the Conqueror' days) and through Worthing with its lovely two storey brick ‘tudor style’ mansions.  Had a glimpse of The Brighton and Hove Albion Football Stadium as we bypassed Brighton and Lewes where Dad Laker was born.

Onwards to the seaside town of Seaford in East Sussex, situated 2kms away from Newhaven and Camping Buckle (25 pounds) next to the beach.  We’ll stay overnight  to catch the 9am ferry to Dieppe from the Port at Newhaven.  
Need an early start as there is a 7.30am check in time at the Port. 

The camp is expensive providing only basic facilities, however it’s in an ideal location.

Walked the promenade alongside the pebbly beach enjoying the sea views and watching people relaxing in deck chairs opposite little mobile cafes.  Visited the town and continued our walk to the end of the promenade where we explored the white chalk cliffs.  Nice here, Seaford has a charm of it’s own.

5 May

Caught the ferry to Dieppe!  A perfect four hour crossing and enjoyed a cooked breakfast followed by our first ‘pain au chocolat’.  Wonderful to be in France and on such a beautiful day!  We’re in Normandy again, the largest region in France and yet there are no vineyards.  It’s a land of soft cheeses, apples, cream, seafood and fish and it’s traditional drink calvados.

En route to Neufchâtel-en-Bray in the Pay de Bray (Bray area), a 46kms drive!  Through little farming villages and fields of wheat with patches of yellow rape, pastures and apple orchards.  Arrived at one of our favourite camps, Camping Sainte Claire(15 euros) and greeted by the very kind ‘monsieur’ who always remembers us.  

The camp is located in the grounds of a picturesque farmstead with apple trees and is on the ‘London - Paris Avenue Verte’ (cycle path) with supermarket and shops up the road.  We’ve a fabulous pitch backing onto the river with views of the medieval town.  Walked to ‘Leclerc’ supermarket and stocked up.  

6 May

Enjoyed a 40kms bike ride on the ‘Verte cycle way’ which follows the old Dieppe - Paris railway line, even the small stations, parts of the track, signals and and barriers still exist.  

Passed the beautiful 15th Century Château de Mesnières and picnicked next to a river.

7 May

Biked to the Château for another explore however we learnt it’s only open to the public in July and August and organised groups throughout the year.  We’ve been lucky in the past and have tagged along with organised groups that happen to be there at the same time as us.  Nevertheless we enjoyed walking the grounds and the bird park. 

8 May

Fabulous ‘blobby’, catch up day in the sun! 

9 May

A gorgeous bike ride into the rolling countryside starting at Mesnières-en-Bray through wheat fields, wild flowers, small villages with traditional old farmsteads and passing farmers busy cultivating the land.  

Continued through Quièvrecourt to Massy and onto Neuville-Ferrières where we found the ‘Verte cycle way’ and continued into Neufchâtel-en-Bray.

After 36kms back to camp and coffee!

10 May

Heading to Pierrefonds today, a great place to rendez-vous with our friends Joe and Chantel who live in Paris and who we had lots of fun with in NZ.  Great news, just heard Réné, Corinne, Guillaume and Justine are also able to meet us.  Pierrefonds is 90kms from Paris and has a Chateau.  Hard to leave the Bray area, we’ve had glorious weather and an awesome time.

A beautiful drive through lush rural countryside and small villages on small country roads ideal for cycling!  Into the Picardy region via Beauvais and Compiègne to a camp that we discovered was too far from Pierrefonds so we back tracked and found the Pierrefonds Municipal Camp (18 euros).  Caught a glimpse of the village dominated by a very impressive Chateau as we drove through, what a find!  The cute camp is in an ideal location on a bike path through the forest.  

Pierrefonds is on the south east edge of the Forest of Compiegne between Soissons and Compiegne and is known for its Château.  Eager to have a ‘scout around', we walked the cycleway into the village and around the lake lined with cafes and eateries, into the picturesque village overlooked by the magnificent Château de Pierrefonds.  

Up into the Chateau grounds for an explore!  It has the appearance of a medieval castle on the exterior but evidently the interior and courtyard are designed in the later renaissance style.  The original castle was replaced by a more substantial castle in the fourteenth century.  However it was dismantled in the seventeenth century, then rebuilt at the order of Napoleon III in 1857.  

11 May

Took the cycle way through the forest and along the Oise River to Compiegne!  Strolled into the centre of town and into St Antoine’s Square to see the fifteenth century gothic cathedral built under Napoleon III.  

Nice eateries and cafes in the Squares here.  Continued along the bike path following the Oise River for a picnic then onwards via pretty Choissy-au-Bac though the forest to the ‘Glade of the Armistice’.  

'Clairière de l’Amistice' is a war memorial in the Compiegne Forest.  

In November 1918 a French train pulling Marshal Foch’s carriage arrived secretly, deep in the Forest of Compiegne.  Shortly afterwards, another carriage arrived carrying a German army contingent.  On 11 November the Armistice was signed inside the French carriage bringing WWI to an end.

The carriage having gained notoriety was then housed in ‘Les Invalides’ in Paris for a duration.  It was then decided it should be returned to the site of the signing and housed in a Museum.  Here it remained until WWII when it was discovered by the German troops.  On 22 June 1940, Hitler decided to utilise the same carriage to accept the French surrender.  He even sat in the exact seat Marshal Foch had occupied.  The carriage was then taken to Berlin and the Museum destroyed.  

After the war the Museum was rebuilt as a memorial housing 
a replica of the original carriage including many artefacts saved from the burnt out original.

Our cycle ride took us passed the memorial depicting an eagle impaled by a sword, into the Glade and the statue of WWI French military leader Marshal Foch, as well as the exact location of the signings.  


We enjoyed the Museum (5 euros per person), the carriage, videos and displays of weaponry and uniforms.  45kms round trip.

12 May

A super day with Chantel and Joe from Paris.  A ‘promenade’ around the lake and lunch overlooking the lake and Chateau.  Very special! 

Loved our gifts, hard to believe they’re all made of chocolate.

13 May

Another super day with Réné, Corinne and Justine from Paris.  Guillaume was left at home studying for exams at the end of the month.  Lunch and a visit to the Chateau. 

Beautiful view across the village from inside the Chateau. 

Afternoon coffee and we tried our first gauffre with chocolate (waffle).  Another very special day!  

14 May 

The cyclist guy in his small tent pitched near us snored like a demon all night, even the trees on his pitch didn’t shield us. :).   Hard to believe we were in t-shirts a couple of days ago, now in thermals, fleece and raincoats, not so cold as the day goes on. 

Leaving our camp tomorrow after a fantastic stay!